


Talkin' 'Bout Boys

by hermioneclone



Category: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Genre: Demisexuality, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, LGBTQ Character of Color, M/M, Mild Language, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 06:59:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5995981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hermioneclone/pseuds/hermioneclone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I like you because you’re, well, you. Maybe I have to like the guy I like.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Talkin' 'Bout Boys

**Author's Note:**

> This ended up being a lot shorter than I initially planned. I had hoped to have Ari talk about his feelings a little more, but they just wouldn't come out. Maybe it's a fic for another day. :)
> 
> Enjoy!

It started one day at the pool.

It only lasted about a second. I saw Dante’s eyes linger as one of the asshole lifeguards passed us where we were sprawled out on hard plastic chairs, the chlorinated water evaporating in patches from our skin in the hot sunlight. I wouldn’t have noticed if I could have looked at anything but Dante. I was still getting used to the idea that I could look at him if I wanted. I still had to be careful in public. I hated that. But Dante had already gotten beaten up once this summer, and even though I’d protect him this time...I didn’t want to chance anything. I was tired of fighting.

Dante’s eyes locked with mine. At almost the same instant, his cheeks flushed red through the slight sunburn that dusted his cheeks. “You saw that,” he said matter-of-factly, trying to sound cool but he was biting his bottom lip just a little bit. He was nervous. That was when I knew I had nothing to worry about.

“Yep,” I told him, curious about what he’d say.

“Sorry,” he whispered, looking embarrassed.

“It’s okay. Look,” I said, dropping my voice. “As long as I’m the only one you’re kissing, it’s fine.”

Dante’s shoulders dropped, releasing the tension I hadn’t even noticed he’d been holding in them. “You’re the only one I want to kiss,” he sighed, the words almost inaudible amidst the shouts of children and the traffic noises filtering in from the other side of the fence.

I grinned. “Then we’re good.”

We sat in silence. Well, at least we didn’t talk for a while. Then, out of nowhere, Dante asked, “Do you ever? Look?”

I shrugged. “It never really occurred to me.”

Dante scrunched up his face. “Really?”

“Really,” I assured him.

“Not even that guy?” he asked, pointing to the lifeguard again, who was more interested in flirting with a girl who was barely wearing a bathing suit than, you know, actually watching for children in distress. I was really glad that Dante finally taught me how to swim. I probably would have drowned by now if he hadn’t.

“He’s an ass,” I told him.

“Doesn’t make him less hot,” Dante muttered. “Look, the guy looks like he’s chiseled out of marble.”

“Marble’s overrated,” I replied with a smug grin. “I like my guys a bit more Mexican.” Dante rolled his eyes at that, but he couldn’t shake the pleased look that settled onto his face. I really liked that look. I wanted to keep it there. Forever. “Look Dante, I never really...thought of any of this until you. It’s kinda why it took me so long to figure it out, I think.” I stood, tossing my damp towel over my shoulder. We had already come to an unspoken agreement that we had finished swimming for the day, and I really wanted to kiss Dante right now. So I figured going home, his or mine, it didn’t matter, was better than having to hold back here.

“So you’ve never had a crush?” he asked as he followed me out of the pool enclosure.

“Not on a guy,” I responded. “And I mean, there was Ileana. And I liked her. But...I think I always knew it wasn’t the real thing, you know? Maybe that’s why I wanted it. It was less scary than thinking about what I really wanted.”

We walked quietly for a few minutes. “Do you still scare you?”

I hesitated. “Not as much as you used to.”

Dante stopped suddenly. I turned around to face him. He looked like he was about to cry again. Shit. How did he have any tears left? “But if you’ve never liked a guy before, how can you know…”

“That I like you?” Dante nodded. “Look, Dante. I don’t like that guy because he’s an ass just like all of the other lifeguards at that pool. I like you because you’re, well, you. Maybe I have to like the guy I like.”

Dante snorted, looking a little less depressed. “That doesn’t make any sense, Ari.”

I shrugged. “Maybe I’m attracted to brains.”

“And you say I’m the weird one.”

“You’re a real shit, you know that Dante?”

“You wouldn’t like me any other way. I’d be boring.”

I smiled. “You could never be boring.” I gestured with my head. “Come on, let’s get to your place. All this boy talk is really making me want to kiss you right now.”

Dante looked quickly around us. We were alone. He stepped closer, right up into my personal space and kissed me short and firm before pulling away fast. I raised my eyebrows at him. I hadn’t been expecting this. I wasn’t entirely sure that it was a good idea. Even if I loved it. “I don’t want to live scared,” he said simply, his eyes full of a defiance that I knew wasn’t meant for me.

And in that moment, I loved him just a little more. I didn’t even know that was possible, but it was.

I wasn’t afraid any more.


End file.
